Naomi Wolf's new book on the amazingness of the vagina.Your vagina: Do you want to read a book about it?
Probably, if you are like me, you do not. Vagina books, even by successful best-seller writers, are not flying off the shelves. But in this case, we'd be missing out.
Vagina: A New Biography, is feminist author Naomi Wolf's loopy, impassioned, thought-provoking new theory of the vagina and its role in our lives. In it, she writes that when she told people what the book was about, "many people had immediate, probably measurably physical reactions when they...heard the word vagina in my response. Some, both men and women, smiled immediately: beautiful, heartfelt smiles. Others looked frightened or disgusted, as if I had suddenly produced from my handbag a trout...."
In other words it's difficult to be taken seriously while taking the vagina seriously. It's easy to become the butt of lots of hilarious jokes, and so on. But if we could quiet the nervous giggling--and shouldn't grown women be able to say the v-word, in this day and
Naomi Wolf's "Vagina: A New Biography"
By Valerie Isakova, Shine Parenting Editor | Book Club – Mon, Sep 10, 2012 8:55 PM EDT
TresSugarSource: September Must Reads
As you wrap up your Summer reading list, it's time to dive into Fall's new releases. Historical fiction, heart-wrenching memoirs, and highly anticipated books by J.K. Rowling and Junot Díaz are about to hit the shelves. We've rounded up September's most promising reads, so take a look now. And don't forget to share what you're reading with us on Instagram!- Suri's Burn Book: Allie Hagan's Suri's Burn Book: Well-Dressed Commentary From Hollywood's Little Sweetheart is the book version of her hilarious Tumblr, Suri's Burn Book, which imagines what Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes's daughter, Suri, would say about her fellow celebrity children.
- The Casual Vacancy: After her successful Harry Potter series, we can't wait to pick up J.K. Rowling's adult novel The Casual Vacancy about an idyllic English town. When a town council member passes away, it triggers chaos among the people - and an election that carries surprising revelations.
- Kicking & Dreaming
Top 10 Family Diversity Books Every Home Should Have
By Babble.com | Book Club – Wed, Aug 22, 2012 3:12 PM EDTWhile families that consist of a mother, a father, and a child will always, always exist, our generation of parents - and children - comprise all sorts of families. And our children are most certainly growing up in world very different than the one in which we were raised. Our kids will go to school and become friends with other kids from more types of families than any other time in history. And books can be a great way to introduce your children to the myriad of diverse families that make up our new generation of parents. Check out the top 10 family diversity books every home should have. - By Aelah Mass
MORE ON BABBLE
15 things you should NEVER say to adoptive parents
22 classic novels as explained by a 6-year-old
Read More »from Top 10 Family Diversity Books Every Home Should Have
10 things you need to know to raise a good readerThe 8 Most Banned Books of the 21st Century
By Babble.com | Book Club – Fri, Aug 17, 2012 2:54 PM EDTBelieve it or not, more than fifty years after it was first published and the era that ushered in the Civil Rights Movement, To Kill A Mockingbird is still among the top ten books banned or censored in libraries. If we continue to ban material that "might" be deemed offensive to "anyone" then it won't be long before we raise a generation that is completely ignorant. Each year, the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of the top ten most frequently challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools. Here are the top ten books that made the list of most challenged books from 2000-2011. - By Monica Bielanko
MORE ON BABBLE
22 classic novels as explained by a 6-year-old
The 15 most ridiculous school bans of 2012
Read More »from The 8 Most Banned Books of the 21st Century
10 things you need to know to raise a good readerCaitlin Moran Explains How to Be a Woman: Shine Q&A
By Sarah B. Weir, Yahoo! blogger | Book Club – Thu, Aug 16, 2012 2:39 PM EDT
Author Caitlin MoranSince when did "feminism" become the new f-bomb? Caitlin Moran's 'How to Be A Woman', a UK bestseller, aims to rehab the maligned term while dishing Gaga, Brazilian waxing, the wonder of motherhood, and why porn could be a beautiful thing-but isn't. "Without feminism, you wouldn't be allowed to have a debate on women's place in society," writes the London Times award-winning columnist, "You'd be too busy giving birth on the kitchen floor--biting down on a wooden spoon, so as not to disturb the men's card game….The more women argue loudly, against feminism, the more they both prove it exists and that they enjoy its hard-won privileges."
Part memoir, part manifesto, Moran's work was a hit with British readers and now she's ambushing United States with her rambunctious mix of teenage confessional, social critique, and celebrity gossip. Scared of political rants? Fear not, Moran hacks through the prickly thicket of being a woman in the 21st Century with more of a rubber chicken than
Read More »from Caitlin Moran Explains How to Be a Woman: Shine Q&A
GoodreadsEven fans of paper books can admit: Reading apps have plenty of great perks to offer. Apps can put dictionaries, maps, reviews, and libraries into your pocket, and each of these resources makes for sharper reading. Here are some of my favorite apps geared toward the old-fashioned bookworm that can enhance your reading experience.
Related: Easy-To-Use eReaders
Read More »from 5 Great Apps for Readers
1. Book Crawler (Apple iOS, $1.99)
Most books have an ISBN number printed on the back. Book Crawler scans this ISBN number, recognizing the book's title, author, edition, cover art, and so forth. If you want, Book Crawler will then add the book to your digital bookshelf. You can also manually input titles or search for them on GoogleBooks. This is the app's core function: to serve as a personal librarian, organizing and sorting titles for you. After you've scanned or searched for a book, you can pull up its reviews on Goodreads. Like what you see? Click an icon and you can access the iTunes store or check for theSummer vacation may be coming to a close, but reading season is never over. Check out these new books to keep your learner at the head of the class before returning back to school this fall.
Dragon Loves TacosDragons Love Tacos, by Adam Rubin
Forget Puff. There are some new dragons in town, and they eat tacos, lots of tacos. Rubin and illustrator Daniel Salmieri deliver zesty laughs - but watch out. When these creatures eat salsa, things get muy caliente.
Available at amazon.com, $12.
Best Kids Apps
The Lonely BookThe Lonely Book, by Kate Bernheimer
A forgotten book becomes beloved again when a little girl discovers its magical appeal at the library. Reigning queen of fairy tales Kate Bernheimer brings her love of enchanting stories to a new generation of readers.
Available at amazon.com, $11.
2012Chico the Brave, by David Horowitz
In the hilarious Peruvian tale, a little chick is terrified of, well, everything. His patient father invents a hero to inspire him. When he finally discovers his
Read More »from Great Reads for Kids
Read More »from 4 Irresistible Reads to Pick Up This Month
Photo: Philip Friedman/Studio DThe Light Between Oceans
By M.L. Stedman
There's something irresistible about a morally complex story that makes you root for all its flawed characters, even when they're at odds with one another. The Light Between Oceans (Scribner), M.L. Stedman's seductive debut, is just that sort of book. And it comes with a bonus: a high-concept plot that keeps you riveted from the first page. Tom Sherbourne is the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, a remote island off the western coast of Australia. Tom is a WWI vet whose battlefield experience has left him righteous; his bride, Isabel, is brave and modern, having forgone the comforts of the mainland to join her beloved. Life is good for the Sherbournes, except for one thing: Isabel has had two miscarriages and despairs at the thought of remaining childless. Suddenly, a boat washes onshore; in it are an infant and a dead man. Isabel is desperate to keep the child, and Tom, despite his misgivings, cannot bring himself to ruin his wife's dream byExclusive Interview with Author, Emily Giffin!
By Seventeen Magazine | Book Club – Mon, Aug 6, 2012 2:39 PM EDTEmily Giffin's new book, Where We Belong, begins with 18-year-old Kirby knocking on her birth mother's door. Kirby has always known she was adopted, but she knows next to nothing about her birth mom, who turns out to be a successful TV producer named Marian who is living in New York City. When they meet, it changes both of their lives in ways they could never imagine.
Read More »from Exclusive Interview with Author, Emily Giffin!
Get More: Seventeen Exclusive: Author Emily Giffin Talks About Her New Book, Where We Belong!EMILY GIFFIN'S Where We BelongSeventeen: What inspired the plot of Where We Belong?
Emily Giffin: At its heart, the book is about secrets and what happens to us and those closest to us when we keep them. I've always been intrigued by the power of secrets and the questions surrounding them. When is it justifiable to keep them from the ones we love? And does keeping them irrevocably change who we are? Adoption (under the secretive circumstances in Where We Belong) seemed to be a great way to explore some of these broader themes.
17: This is your first timeFind a New Hero: 10 Stories of Great American Women
By Good Housekeeping | Book Club – Fri, Jul 27, 2012 2:43 PM EDT
Amelia EarhartLooking for a summer read? Why not get inspired by reading one of these 10 biographies about amazing women who changed our world.
1. Amelia: A Life of the Aviation Legend, Katherine V. Dillon & Donald M. Goldstein
An impressive account of one of the 20th-century's most exciting, adventurous women, whose disappearance remains a mystery to this day.
Sojourner Truth2. Sojourner Truth: A Life, a Symbol, Nell Irvin Painter
A former slave, Truth tells a story of overcoming incredible adversity and taking a stand that culminates with her famed speech, "Ain't I a Woman?"
Mary Kay
3. Mary Kay: The Story of America's Most Dynamic Businesswoman, Mary Kay Ash
This self-made businesswoman's autobiography chronicles the creation of a cosmetics empire that's all about empowering other women to succeed.
Abigail Adams
4. Abigail Adams: A Biography, Phyllis Lee Levin
A woman ahead of her time, this wife and mother of presidents urged her colonial contemporaries to recognize
Read More »from Find a New Hero: 10 Stories of Great American Women
- 10 Self-Help Books for the New GenerationMon, Feb 4, 2013 6:38 PM EST
- Do You Have the Most Vivid Memories from Your Life from Age 15 to 25?Tue, Feb 5, 2013 11:35 AM EST
- Is Your Gym Making You Sick?Tue, Feb 5, 2013 10:10 AM EST
- Better Together: 4 Reasons Why I'm Glad My Kids Share a RoomTue, Feb 5, 2013 2:51 PM EST
- Is Lisa Ling's Father a Pothead?Tue, Feb 5, 2013 3:29 PM EST
- Nerding Out in Nature: One Smart Phone. Two Kids. Tons of FunTue, Feb 5, 2013 3:07 PM EST
- PHOTOS: The Best Chevron Wedding DetailsTue, Feb 5, 2013 1:42 PM EST
- Roadblocks to Intimacy--and How to Get Around ThemMon, Feb 4, 2013 6:50 PM EST
- How to Conquer Your 10 Biggest Marriage FearsFri, Feb 22, 2013 3:23 PM EST
- 5 Biggest Gluten-free MythsFri, May 17, 2013 11:48 AM EDT
- Hot Actors EatingFri, May 17, 2013 11:30 AM EDT
- 8 Grilling Mistakes You’re Still MakingFri, May 17, 2013 11:14 AM EDT
- Style lessons from Carrie UnderwoodThu, May 3, 2012 11:31 AM EDT
- Best & worst foods for your skin at every ageMon, Apr 23, 2012 5:42 PM EDT
- Hairstyles to hide your flawsFri, Apr 27, 2012 2:56 PM EDT
